1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a support frame for a respiratory air container that can be adjusted to the torso length of the user and having a support plate with shoulder straps and fastening structure for at least one respiratory air container from which pneumatic and electric supply lines originate.
2. Background Art
Apparatuses consisting of a support plate and shoulder straps are known to be used for stable fixing of respiratory air containers (compressed-air breathing apparatuses) on the back of their respective user, e.g. a fire fighter.
The support plates are usually made in one piece and at a uniform size while their shape is adjusted to the contour of the human back. The respiratory air container that is held on the support plate using a bottle strap is connected to a pressure reducer located at the lower end of the support plate from which several supply lines originate and run, inter alia, to a pressure gauge and respiratory inlet of a mask the user is wearing. The hose pipes for compressed air and, optionally, electric supply lines for warning and measuring equipment are attached to the support plate. The support plate rests at various heights against its wearer's body depending on the wearer's height: with a short person, it ends in the upper part and with a taller person it ends in a lower part of that person's back. Correspondingly, the length of hose or line available at the user's front side is either too great or too small, and hose pipes that are either too long or too short impede the user's free and unobstructed movement. In addition, there is a risk that hose or line portions that do not run close to the user's body or that are freely accessible at the user's back and outside the user's field of vision may get caught on obstacles or be damaged.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,941 describes a support frame for respiratory air containers to be mounted to a user's body that has replaceable shoulder parts of different lengths to adjust the support frame to the height of its respective wearer. In addition to the fact that the pneumatic and, optionally, electric supply lines are exposed in this proposed solution, its adjustment to user height also takes a great effort.
EP 0 747 095 A2 describes a support frame that is also suited for mounting respiratory air containers and has a two-part design. It consists of an upper back plate and a lower support plate, and the lower support plate can be hinged to the upper back plate at different heights. This support frame, however, also leaves supply lines unprotected, and the type of length variability in conjunction with the hinged support plate does not contribute to keeping the respiratory air container stably mounted on the support plate.